The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. The simplest ideas in mathematics can also be the most perplexing. Take addition. It’s a straightforward operation: One of the first ...

For all of the recent strides we’ve made in the math world—like a supercomputer finally solving the Sum of Three Cubes problem that puzzled mathematicians for 65 years—we’re forever crunching ...

Calculus has a formidable reputation as being difficult and/or unpleasant, but it doesn’t have to be. Bringing humor and a sense of play to the topic can go a long way toward demystifying it. That’s ...

Mathematics has always demanded patience. From solving linear equations in algebra to navigating derivatives and integrals in ...

(THE CONVERSATION) Among high school students and adults, girls and women are much more likely to use traditional, step-by-step algorithms to solve basic math problems – such as lining up numbers to ...

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...